Downtime of an Umbra Witch
by Technique-Color
Summary: One-shots and drabbles focusing on Bayonetta in certain situations.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: I figured I'd get this plot bunny up and running while I still had it. These are going to be set in between or after the Bayonetta games.

The Bayonetta series is by SEGA and Platinum Games.

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><p>Drabble title: Is There An Echo In Here?<p>

Word count: 262

Content: Humor/General

Characters: Bayonetta, Ed and Edna, mention of Enzo and Jeanne.

Set: In between Bayonetta 1 and 2.

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><p>While Bayonetta was looking at a book in her shared living quarters with Jeanne, she heard another rustle of a page when she turned it a second later. Looking around, she found nothing and resumed reading.<p>

It happened again when she turned the page a second time. She closed the book before standing up.

"This is a perplexing situation," she began.

"This is a perplexing situation," two young voices, one male and one female, spoke up.

"It's like I'm in a dank cave," Bayonetta described.

"It's like I'm in a dank cave," the voices repeated.

"And another thing."

"And another thing."

"I hear voices."

Silence. She began to stroll around the room.

"And sometimes the echo is incorrect."

"And sometimes the echo..."

"This is the first time hearing-!"

"Quiet!"

Bayonetta looked around, eventually finding Enzo's children behind the couch. She decided not to reveal herself just yet when she heard their childish giggles. Counting down to herself in her head, she waited until one to speak again.

"And sometimes it says what I'm going to say before I say it," she added.

"And sometimes it says what I'm going-!"

"There you are!" Bayonetta exclaimed.

The mischievous duo let out their laughter while running off. Bayonetta just sighed.

"When is Enzo coming back?" she asked with slight irritation, looking at the clock. She was dragged into babysitting Ed and Edna a few hours ago while he did some shopping and promised to be back by three 'o clock. It was three fifteen right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Enjoy The Show

Word Count: 404

Characters: Jeanne, Bayonetta, Ed, and Edna. Mentions of Luka, Enzo, and Rodin.

Content: General

Set: Post-Bayonetta 2

The Bayonetta series is by SEGA and Platinum Games.

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><p>In the auditorium of a high school, a disguised Jeanne watched backstage while the stagehands changed the scenery. After a moment, she looked around the area. Where were Ed, Edna, and Cereza?<p>

It had been a few years since Bayonetta defeated Aesir. Enzo's children, Ed and Edna, were growing up and were expected to aid the two Umbra Witches when they came of age. Luka had journalism and a second novel to take care of, so he couldn't attend the play the Witches were at. Enzo had also come down with a cold before the play, while Rodin had to handle the bar he tended to. That left only Jeanne and Bayonetta to watch the two backstage.

While Jeanne admitted Enzo's two children were growing up nicely, why was Bayonetta taking a liking to the older Edna?

"Go now! And no dilly-dallying along the way!"

"Yes, ma'am! Ed, hurry up!"

"Right!"

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of hurried footsteps. Two twins in their teen years, both with brown hair and green eyes wearing costumes, dashed past Jeanne onto the stage. A disguised Bayonetta soon came up to Jeanne, a sigh coming from her lips.

"You certainly know how to get people going, Cereza," Jeanne noted.

"I do my best," Bayonetta replied.

There was a moment of silence while the act began. The play was the story of William Tell, and both twins, Ed and Edna, were cast as main characters. Jeanne noted that her Umbran sister was watching a certain twin carefully.

"You seem to be watching Edna's performance more so than the others," Jeanne noted. "Notably, you two have grown to like each other a lot as well."

"I like her," Cereza told her. "We have our differences, but we get along nonetheless."

"I wouldn't get too close, though. There are still those in Paradiso that could target her due to this."

"They've been awfully quiet since Aesir's defeat, however. Even I'm a little suspicious, Jeanne."

The act ended and the students rushed to get ready for the next half of the show. Ed and Edna went up to the two witches and got praise from the two when asked how they did. Bayonetta noted that even Jeanne was happy to see them perform.

There would be time to assess the situation between Inferno and Paradiso later. For now, it was time to relax and enjoy the show.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: A Midnight Visit

Word count: 501

Content: General/Supernatural

Characters: Bayonetta, Loki, mention of Jeanne

Set: Post-Bayonetta 2

The Bayonetta series is by SEGA and Platinum Games.

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><p>Clad in a black nightgown, Bayonetta looked up at the ceiling in the white and blue bed she and Jeanne were sharing. The Umbra Witch was having trouble falling asleep at times, her thoughts dwelling to a certain someone she met during her journey to reclaim Jeanne's soul. Sometimes, she thought of how he was doing, recalling the card that fell out of a pram before blowing away in the wind.<p>

"Loki..." she whispered.

She was hoping that there wasn't any trouble during his break. Following Aesir's defeat, Loki vanished, intending to be reborn when the time was right. The card was an indicator that he was coming sooner than she predicted. But was he going to be okay?

A light chuckle soon escaped her lips.

'Knowing you, you're probably finding a way out of trouble for the first time,' she guessed.

She removed her glasses and set them aside for the night. Once the light was turned off, she turned to her side.

'I don't normally say this, but thank you,' she told him in her head before falling asleep.

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><p>It was somewhere around midnight when her bedroom window opened on its own. A small breeze blew in, and with it came a small degree of cold. The Umbra Witch shifted before curling up further under the covers, reacting to the chill that passed by. It wasn't long until she eased up, now warmer and falling into a black dream.<p>

A set of footsteps walked to the bedside before someone sat down on it. That someone removed his hood, revealing himself to be an apparition of Loki. He looked to Bayonetta and saw her eyelids flutter briefly.

"You know, love, you're more of a lady when you're in the land of nod," he noted.

No response.

"I came here to see how you're doing," Loki continued, despite knowing that she can't hear him. "Looks like the world's still in one piece. It seems you are, too."

Loki sighed. During his time in a void of some sort, he learned that when Umbra Witches die, they are dragged down to Hell due to their Contract with Inferno. This witch had saved his life more than once. Why must she be subjected to that torture upon death when she's saved the world more than once as well?

Nonetheless, rules were rules.

"I'll be coming back. I don't know when, but I'll come back," he vowed. "As a man, like you promised. But there's something I want you to do as well. I want you to keep living, even after I come back. If you get dragged down to Hell, I won't have a mate to team up with in battle."

Loki stood up. Time was running out for him.

"I'll leave you alone, then," he told her. "I'll see you when I see you."

"It's a promise, then."

He turned behind him in surprise when he heard Bayonetta's voice. She remained asleep, but was smiling.

The God gave off a warm smile before he vanished.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Umbran Pain

Word count: 426

Characters: Rodin, Luka, Bayonetta, Jeanne, Enzo, and Edna

Genre: Drama, Angst

Notes: Possible plot point for a "Bayonetta" story in the future.

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><p>"Cereza!"<p>

Everyone in The Gates of Hell looked up to hear Jeanne's yell and running footsteps come into the bar/weapons shop. Jeanne herself soon arrived, rushing to a casket. When Jeanne stopped and caught her breath, she gained a stunned and heartbroken look.

An hour ago, Bayonetta was in combat with some Angels, but this wasn't an ordinary fight. The Angels were being controlled by someone she didn't know about. He may have been a mere mortal, but he wielded incredible anti-witchcraft weaponry that hit Bayonetta _hard. _She was found by Luka on the ground beaten and unconscious. Taken back to where Rodin was, the men that consisted of Rodin, Luka, and Enzo were trying to figure out why she hadn't woken up yet. An older Edna was also there, holding her hands in prayer, the magic cutlass she wielded sheathed behind her back.

"Jeanne..." Edna began, opening her eyes to reveal that they were being filled with salty tears.

Jeanne ignored the teen acknowledging her and shook Bayonetta's shoulders.

"Wake up! Wake up!" she pleaded. "Damn you, Cereza! Wake up!"

"She won't respond," Edna told her. "We're still trying to figure out why she's like this."

"Her Umbran Watch hasn't started countin' down," Rodin said. "Something's up. The angels are following a new order and this one has earned their respect."

"Despite all the shit she's done ta me, she needs a proper burial," Enzo suggested.

"Dad, she's not dead!" Edna countered angrily. "Umbran Witches have magic that keep them alive for ages!"

The human swordswoman began to break down, her fists shaking. She ran off, Luka following behind her.

"Edna, wait!" Luka called out, the two leaving the Gates. "Edna!"

Rodin and Jeanne glared at Enzo, who held his hands up in defense.

"I forgot, okay?!" Enzo said.

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><p>In the house the two shared that night, Jeanne laid down on the wide bed, her right hand holding the watch that Bayonetta owned. This was the keepsake of her Umbran Sister, a hybrid she had shared a relationship with. They had went from friends, to rivals, to lovers over the years. Now, she felt it would end sooner than she thought.<p>

"Damn it, Cereza..." Jeanne cursed, eyes filling up with tears. "If you can hear me, I want to say I should have been there when the whole battle went wrong..."

She set the watch down on the nightstand, making a vow then and there.

"As soon as the night is done, I'll find a way to wake you up," she vowed. "I swear it."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Healing the Pain

Word Count: 502

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, slight woman/woman love

Characters: Bayonetta, Jeanne, Edna, mentions of Luka and Rodin

Notes: Follow Up from "Umbran Pain".

Bayonetta is by SEGA and Platinum Games.

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><p>The past three days were exhausting for all parties involved in trying to wake Bayonetta up. Thanks to Luka and Rodin, the group were able to dig up an Ancient Umbran spell book involving the transfer of powers to heal the wounded. It was a risky spell, though, so much so that it would either cost the life of the wounded, the Witch who cast the spell, or both at once.<p>

In the house that Bayonetta and Jeanne shared, Edna lay asleep on the bed, her energy spent from helping everyone out. Jeanne, in the meanwhile, sat at a desk on a chair, the Umbra Witch pouring over the content in the tome on the desk. A desk light was on in front of her, giving her the necessary illumination for reading.

"A Red Hot Shot, three Mega Green Herb Lollipops, and one Mega Bloody Rose Lollipop," she read in a whisper. "The formula needed for spell transfer. Spread the conjured fluid on the victim's...body..."

Jeanne shook herself off when she felt herself begin to drift off. She had to keep working for Cereza's sake. If she forgot the spell, what would she do? Moreover, would Cereza be angry at her for not being there?

Pushing those thoughts aside, she continued to read from the tome as best as she could.

The Umbra Witch fell asleep after another hour of reading.

While she slept, she envisioned a nightmare of Bayonetta yelling at her for not being there. She broke off the relationship, never seeing her again. The pain made tears fall from her eyes, and she muttered "I'm sorry..." in her sleep.

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><p>Jeanne awoke when she felt someone brush a lock of hair away from her face. Vision blurry, she soon made out the soul form of her beloved. She felt that her face was stained with tears, and hurriedly wiped them away. Bayonetta was still there, indicating that this was not a dream.<p>

"Cereza?!" she asked in surprise, standing up. "How are you even-?"

_"I brought her here, love," _a young voice began. _"I've been serving as her anchor in keeping her soul in the real world, so to say."_

"Jeanne, I'm not angry at you," Cereza began. "Those people specifically made sure I was blocked off from any help before they battled me. No one could have gotten to me until it was too late."

She took hold of her shoulders.

"I am proud of you for doing everything you can while I was away from your side," she continued. "And deep down, I knew...you'd be the one to find a way to bring me back. I was behaving myself until you could come."

"Cereza..." Jeanne began, touched by her words.

"I love you, my Umbran Sister," she whispered while fading away. "Never forget that..."

When she vanished, Jeanne placed a hand over her chest, feeling warmth in her body once again. This was something only Cereza could bring, something she treasured dearly.

"I love you, too," she whispered back.


End file.
